Top must-read books  

1984 by George Orwell  

1984 is a dystopian novel that is an extremely popular book among people. It expresses a warning about totalitarianism and explores the various methods of controlling people. Mind control is an important theme in this book. This book is quite political but popular and is therefore, deemed as a must-read by many.  

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee  

This novel has sold over 40 million copies worldwide. In this novel, themes of racism and courage are explored. Furthermore, Harper Lee also tries to explore the nature of humans. The book also has a relevance to today’s world as even now, racism and discrimination exists.  

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott  

In this book, there is a clear theme running through of feminism. The main characters of the book break stereotypes. There are many life lessons to take away from this novel that leaves almost everyone feeling empowered.  

Lord of the Flies by William Golding 

William Goldin based off this book from his personal experiences while serving in the navy. He lost his trust in humanity during this period. This novel, published in 1954, took the character names from Coral Island (which is by R. M. Banantyne). This novel shows how humans are innately evil and how without the presence of an adult, young schoolboys can turn into savages.  

Hamlet by William Shakespeare 

This play is a tragedy and explores the idea that tragedy comes from human errors and misunderstandings. A key theme is madness. The madness is shown through the number of deaths throughout the play. Hamlet’s confused state of mind leads to many murders.  

The Handmaid’s tale by Margaret Atwood  

This novel is known as speculative fiction, in which possible futures are theorised. In this novel, the women are depicted as completely powerless, where they must listen to the men. However, the women try and fight for their independence.  

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky 

This novel, published in 1866, is a very philosophical novel in which themes of morality and human nature are explored. This book has been adapted into more than 25 films and is regarded as one of the most influential works.  

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier  

This is a gothic suspense thriller. This book is about a woman who is trying to find the truth about her husband’s first wife.